In the fine wine world, it is certainly very rare for any new producer to achieve cult status almost immediately, but Chris and Suzaan Alheit’s first vintage of Cartology in 2011 brought them unexpected fame almost over night after Neal Martin bestowed this now legendary wine with a 96/100 point score. Ever since this maiden release, Alheit Vineyards has continued to become one of the most tightly allocated and highly sought-after South African wine names on the international market.

Situated 5 hours drive from their own cellar in the Hemel-en-Aarde, the dry farmed old bushvines growing on red sand over red clay produce wines marked by bristling acidity and clarity of flavour, earthy minerality and natural power. “Every vintage reaffirms the extraordinary properties of this landscape,” says Chris Alheit. The Skurfberg vineyard area is now cemented as one of the Cape’s most extraordinary winegrowing areas and Chris works with two farms here: The ungrafted Chenin Blanc bushvines growing at 540 metres above sea-level on Arbeidseind farm producing the wine called Magnetic North. The Oudam farm is close by, a little lower down at 450 metres above sea-level, and produces Huilkrans. Both farms also contribute Chenin Blanc grapes to Alheit’s Cartology white blend.

Alheit Vineyards Huilkrans Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022, WO Citrusdal Mountain, Olifants Rivier, 13% Abv.

Made from 35 to 55 year old vines planted on deep orange sand over gravel and clay yields a profound expression of Chenin Blanc displaying complex notes of wet slate minerality, salted nectarines, white peach, dried herbs, fresh hay and smoky fynbos hints. This is a very serious white wine with an imposing presence, where the glycerol palate whispers sublime class. The palate depth and breadth is simply astounding, reassuringly rich and tangy with all the freshness and tension you’d expect with a beguiling intensity and length of pear purée and Poire William nuances. Tantalisingly austere and saline with fruit reserve, a mineral focus with a spicy, wet river pebble liquid minerality, the texture is dream-like, silky, sultry, and elegantly persistent. A Grand Cru wine in every sense of the word! A real stunner. Drink from release and over the next 20+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

The Alheit Vineyard wines are imported into the UK by merchant Dreyfus Ashby, where the wines are available on strict allocations to trade.